Student Learning in Diverse Classrooms

Student Learning in Diverse Classrooms

Understanding students in a diverse classroom is one of the most important challenges in teaching

What is a disability?

Definitions differ because of differences in attitudes, beliefs, orientation, discipline and culture

Fed. Govt elected to define disabilities by using a categorical approach

Public Law 105-17 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (reauthorized 3 times)

1990 Education for all Handicapped Children Act (EHA)

IDEA Categories

AutismDeafnessHearing impairmentMultiple disabilitiesOther health

impairmentSpeech or language

impairmentVisual impairment

Deaf-blindnessEmotional

disturbanceMental retardationOrthopedic

impairmentSpecific learning

disabilityTraumatic brain

injury

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Federal disability antidiscrimination

legislation passed in 1990Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Origins of Special Education

See “The Origins of Special Education: The Story of Itard and Victor”

Edouard Seguin 1846 “The Moral Treatment, Hygiene and Education of Idiots and Other Backward Children”

Montessori in ItalySamuel Gridley Howe 1832 Asylum for the

Blind (Perkins Institute1848 Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Children

Elizabeth Farrell 1898

Why a National Special Education Law

More than 8M children with disabilitiesNeeds not being metMore than half do not receive appropriate

educational services1M are excluded entirely from the education

systemChildren throughout the US participating in

regular school programs whose handicaps prevent them from having a successful experience

Lack of services force families to find services outside of the local public school

Developments in training of teachers and in diagnostic instructional procedures and methods have advanced to the point that with funding schools can provide effective special education

State and local educational agencies have a responsibility to provide education for all children with disabilities

It is in the interest of the Federal Government

Special Education

Special Education: Individualized education for children and youth with special needs

Related services: a part of special education that includes services from professionals from a wide range of disciplines typically outside of education, all designed to meet the learning needs of individual children with disabilities

Related services

Adaptive PE teachersCounselorsInterpreters for the

deafPhysical therapistsOccupational

therapistsRehabilitation

counselorsSupervisors and

administratorsWork study

coordinator

Assistive technologists

AudiologistsDiagnostic StaffParaprofessionals

(aids)PsychologistsRecreational

therapistsSchool Social

WorkersVocational education

teachers

Special Education: 8 provisions

Free appropriate public education(FAPE)

Parental rights to notification of evaluation and placement decisions including right to due process in the event of a disagreement

Individualized education and services to all children with disabilities

Provision of necessary related services

Individualized assessment

Individualized education program (IEP) plans

Education provided to the fullest extent possible in the least restrictive environment (LRE)

Federal money to offset cost

Least Restrictive Environment LRE

To the maximum extent possible children with disabilities are educated with their peers

Ensures a continuum of alternative placements

Provides for supplementary services (resource room or itinerant instruction) in conjunction with general education

Is individually determined and is based on evaluations of the student

Is evaluated at least annually

LRE

Is based on the child’s IEPIs as close to the child’s home as possible and

whenever possible is at that child’s neighborhood school

Free appropriate public education (FAPE)

Must be based on each child’s indentified special education and related service needs

Guarantees parents that special education services will be at no cost to them

Is determined by the child’s unique needs, not on what is assumed by the special education category the child’s been assigned

Ensures there is no delay in implementing a child’s individualized education plan once it has been developed.

Special education yes or no

Is ineffective and unnecessaryIs discriminatorySegregates children from their peersServes too many childrenShould include all students with ADHDIs too expensive and places too much burden

on local schoolsUnequally protects children who are violent

and present discipline problems.